They can be found in countries such as Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. The Rhinoceros Viper is native to the central parts of Africa. These are often considered defining features of the Rhinoceros Viper. They have a large black arrowhead shaped mark on the top of their head and two or three pairs of hornlike scales on the tip of the snout. The scales of the snkae are heavily keeled. Like most of the vipers in the Bitis genus, the Rhinoceros Viper has a distinctive triangular shaped head. The Rhinoceros Viper is a stout, heavy bodied snake that can grow to lengths of 3-4 feet, with females typically growing larger than males. It was first identified in 1802 as Coluber nasicornis. The Rhinoceros Viper has the scientific name Bitis nasicornis. The species within this genus are known for their behaviour of inflating and deflating their bodies while hissing loudly in an attempt to scare off a potential threat. The Gaboon Viper is the largest viper reaching lengths of up to 7 feet while the Namaqua Dwarf Adder is the smallest, growing to less than 1 foot in length. The Bitis genus contains both the largest and smallest species of Viper in the World. However, they can also be found in the Southern parts of the Arabian Peninsula in Yeman, Oman and Southern Saudi Arabia. This genus contains 15 different species of venomous snakes that are primarily found in sub-Saharan Africa. The Rhinoceros Viper belongs to the Bitis genus. The majority of venomous snakes in Australia are from the Elapid family.Įven though Australia has ‘Adders’, such sa the Common Death Adder, these ‘Adders’ are not related to the ‘Viper’ Adders of Africa and actually belong to the Elapid Family. Vipers are found throughout most of the world but an interesting fact about vipers is that they are not native to Australia. This is one of the most popular families of venomous snakes in the world along with the Elapid family. The Rhinoceros Viper belongs to the Viperidae or Viper family of snakes. In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup. Snavely has already become a Zoo icon and is a regular in selfies.Greg Hume, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Rhinoceros Viper Taxonomy He is constructed out of reinforced fiberglass, strong enough to withstand any playing, sitting or climbing he may encounter from excited Zoo visitors. Snavely was transported to the Zoo via tractor trailer, and came in nine separate pieces! Since he weighs almost 9,000 pounds, Snavely had to be moved by a forklift off of the truck and onto his permanent concrete foundation. You can find them most active after their Keepers have spritzed their exhibit with fresh water. There are two juvenile Rhinoceros vipers on exhibit in the World of Reptiles and Friends, who are both less than one year old and two feet in length. Snavely isn’t the only Rhinoceros viper at the Zoo. In the wild, this coloration usually fades quickly after the snake sheds, but Snavely will remain bright and cheery for years to come! ![]() Rhinoceros vipers can be vibrantly colored with electric blue, rosy red, highlighter yellow and jet black scales in an abstract block and stripe pattern, and Snavely does not lack this luster. Not only is Snavely very long, but he’s boldly colored as well. Graciously donated by the Goode family, Snavely was named after a chatty snake who occasionally appeared in the comic strip called Pogo. ![]() They are also sometimes called River jacks and horned puff adders. Rhinoceros vipers got their name from the small horns protruding from their snout, which are similar to rhinos. Although these vipers do not reach more than four feet long, they do pack a powerful bite with venom strong enough to cause severe tissue damage. This 67-foot-long sculpture is modeled after a real snake, the Rhinoceros viper ( Bitis nasicornis), which is found in moist savannas and humid forests on the western coast of Africa. He sits just beyond the ZooFarm and reptile building, nestled under the cover of beautiful Crepe myrtle trees, and surrounded by plenty of seating areas, perfect for company! Snavely is a massive, but friendly face welcoming Zoo visitors to the newly opened World of Reptiles and Friends. After days of speculation, the Zoo revealed Snavely, a 67-foot Rhinoceros viper snake sculpture. This venomous snake had guests wondering if it was safe to be around, and some even exclaimed that they wouldn’t be coming near such a scary beast. In the beginning of May, the Virginia Zoo announced it would be welcoming the region’s largest snake, and Zoo fans grew curious to see what the Zoo had in store.
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